Town Square

App to help heart attack victims

Original post made
on Feb 14, 2014

Sudden cardiac arrest? There's an app for that.
Health and safety officials from Mountain View are endorsing the local launch of the PulsePoint system, a mobile app that alerts users when someone nearby is having a heart attack, giving good Samaritans the chance to lend a potentially life-saving hand.

What a wonderful news item, a story of real value, speaking of amazingly concerned people who have utilized their time and skills to way the odds in favor of life. I find this uplifting because we see individuals who have identified a need and have risen to the challenge of providing an option for quick action. Mr. Price and those associated in the conception and development of this app, you are the gems of our socitey.

Posted by Brock
a resident of another community
on Mar 1, 2014 at 12:49 pm

This brings up many concerns. As a paramedic, I have spent over a thousand hours training and preparing emotionally to respond calmly, safely, and proficiently to a stressful event. Even volunteer fire fighters have training in how to respond to an event. Among my concerns are untrained citizens driving unsafely to reach a possible event causing an accident and thereby impeding responding EMS crews and making a larger event. Also, what about untrained civilians entering an unsafe scene and causing harm to themselves or others complicating the scene. Additionally, what about patient privacy? Many calls that get dispatched as cardiac arrests or myocardial infarcts often are not. If there is not arrest, will the alert be canceled? Will the alert be cancelled upon arrival of EMS, or will on scene medics have to deal with well meaning meddlers in addition to performing patient care? What about patient privacy? Can people that do not wish for intruders in their home opt out? Will this potentially be used by criminals to break into a house after EMS and family leaves? The average American has very little medical training or knowledge and there is potential for harm due to incompetence.